1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to tools for cutting stone, masonry and ceramic tile. More particularly the invention relates to a portable, bimodal tile saw.
2. Background Information
Power saws for cutting tile and ceramics have been known for some time. The prior art provides many examples of tile saws which are operated by securing the work piece on a movable table. The table and the secured work piece are then advanced toward the blade. A recognized disadvantage to this arrangement was that it was unsuitable for making precision cuts in large pieces.
A proposed remedy for this disadvantage was a tile saw that resembled a table saw for wood, providing a planar surface for supporting the tile. A saw protruded from the planar surface, allowing large pieces of tile to be cut in a single pass. While this approach allowed large pieces of tile to be cut, it posed a safety hazard for the operator due to the proximity of the operator's hands to the moving. blade while the substrate was being cut.
Tile saws wherein the saw unit is mounted on an arm that extends over the supporting table are also known. In some cases, the arm extends over the supporting table from one end. In other cases, the arm extends over the supporting table from the side. The table and the substrate are then advanced toward the saw blade in order to cut the substrate. However, the presence of a fixed arm places a limit on the size and shape of tiles that can be cut using such devices.
Tile saws having arms that could be switched from one fixed position to another are also known. The ability to change the position of the arm does make it easier to cut large pieces, however, during operation, the arm is fixed. Thus, in order to change the position of the arm and the saw unit, the operator must stop work in order to change position of the arm and then secure the arm before starting work again.
A tile saw wherein the saw unit is mounted on a movable, unshaped arm is known. The arm is mounted on a pair of tracks and can be moved relative to the supporting table during operation. Additionally, the arm can remain stationary and the table moved toward the saw unit. However, because the entire arm unit must be moved in order to advance the saw unit, the presence of the arm has the potential to limit the size of the substrate being cut. Additionally, providing and maintaining the moveable arm assembly adds considerably to manufacturing and repair costs for such a device.
Portable tile saws are known within the art. The portability of such devices owes to their being relatively compact. However, in fact, such devices can only be deployed to a job site with difficulty. Although they are somewhat compact, ordinarily, they need to be carried by at least two people because of their weight and bulkiness. If such a tile saw needs to be carried over long distance or over difficult terrain, the difficulty of transporting and deploying the saw becomes even more difficult.
Their therefore exists a need in the art for an apparatus that can readily make precision cuts in even large pieces of tile. Additionally, there is a need for such apparatus that can be easily transported and set up, and that can be easily stowed in between uses.